afgod

English

Etymology

Unknown, possibly from a calque of Old English *æfgod (literally off- +‎ god), but first attested in early modern dictionaries of Old English and probably mistakenly attributed based on Dutch afgod or Old Saxon afgod, which appears in pseudo-Bede's translation of the Sermon for All Saints' Day. The Dutch, Old Saxon, etc. forms derive from Old High German abgot (“idol, pagan god”), from ab- (“off, away from”) + got (“God, god”). Compare Old English æfgælþ (“superstition”) and Gothic 𐌰𐍆𐌲𐌿𐌸𐍃 (afguþs, “godless, impious”). (Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈæfɡɒd/

Noun

afgod (plural afgods)

1. (religion, derogatory, historical, obsolete) An idol.
2. (religion, derogatory, historical, obsolete) A pagan god.
3. (heraldry, historical, obsolete) A kind of dragon associated with such idols or gods.

Derived terms

• afgodness

Synonyms

• baal

References

• “† afgod, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, 2012.

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Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch afgod, afgot, from Old Dutch afgot. Equivalent to af +‎ god. Compare German Abgott, obsolete English afgod.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɑf.xɔt/

• audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: af‧god

Noun

afgod m (plural afgoden, diminutive afgodje n)

1. (religion, derogatory) idol; false deity

Derived terms

• afgoderij
• afgodes
• afgodig
• afgodin
• afgodisch
• afgodist
• afgodsbeeld
• afgodslang
• verafgoden

Descendants

• Negerhollands: afgod